Yes, yes, I know... a short one... :) Sorry, guys, but everything is happening pretty fast from now on, so the chapters might be a little shorter

I still hope you ENJOY! it ;)

Chapter 24

"Damn you, J.K. Rowling…" Jane muttered while trying to carry the way too thin plastic bag filled with books. Arya stumbled behind her, dragging a second bag along, filled with book five, six and seven of the Harry Potter series.

"Why would anyone wright so many, heavy books!"

"The books on Asgard are way thicker…" Arya said while running to catch up with Jane.

Jane sighed and pulled her bag up again because it kept scraping over the ground.

"That was a rhetorical question…" she said. "J.K. Rowling's books are great! Real page-turners! Just a bit… well… heavy… Long live the e-books!"

"Eat-books?" Arya asked. "You eat books?"

Jane shook her head. "Never mind…"

The two women walked further until they reached Jane's car. After all, they had to get out a lot faster now and by foot, SHIELD would definitely catch up with them. The only reason why they hadn't done that yet was probably because they didn't exactly expected them to go shopping first.

Jane smiled. She imagined what it would be like to tell SHIELD why she went to the bookshop first. It would be like: "Oh, nothing really, just had to buy some Harry Potter books for the king of Asgard. Loki, you might have heard from him…"

Jane opened the door and got in the car. She put her bag and the books on the backseat, just in case she would have to leave quickly. Arya hesitated and stared at the car which looked like a monster from her point of view.

"Come on! Get in!" Jane shouted over the roaring of the engine coming to life. Arya jumped back.

"It's going to eat me!" she shouted while putting an arrow on her bow, ready to shoot.

"It won't! And don't you dare to shoot my car! We need it!"

Arya didn't seemed convinced, until suddenly three black cars came driving around the corner.

"But those ones just might!" Jane shouted while opening the other door. "Get in!"

Arya put away her bow and jumped in the car. Even before she had closed the door, Jane stepped on the gas and drove away.

"Put on your seatbelt!" she shouted while turning the car to leave the parking lot.

"My what?" Arya asked in panic just before she was thrown back and forth in her chair.

Jane had never driven this fast. She ignored every traffic light, every angry driver and every police car that followed her.

"I take it that they don't like you either!" Arya called out. Jane smirked.

"I must say, I like you, my lady!" Arya continued. She was always in for a bit of adventure every now and then and even though she was scared to death at the moment and she'd seen every corner of the car and she felt like she had to puke, she still liked it!

Jane smiled.
"Just so you know… Most people drive a lot safer! I just had the privilege to spend time in London together with my intern, Darcy, and an English car!"

"I would certainly like to meet her!" Arya said with a smile. Jane laughed. She had to admit: Arya wasn't all that bad…

Finally, Jane drove out the city, racing towards the place where the Bifröst had hit. Loki had told them to go to the exact same spot since that was the safest distance.

The police cars put on the brakes at the edge of the city and the wiling sirens faded away in the distance, but the black SHIELD cars just rushed past them and continued their pursuit.

Now that she didn't have to care about corners and people on the street anymore, Jane stepped on the gas once more.

In front of her, she could already see the dark markings of the Bifröst on the ground. Jane slammed on the brakes and the car stopped.

"Get out!" Jane called over the roaring of the SHIELD cars getting closer. Arya threw open her door, grabbed her bag with the books and ran over to the markings. Jane took her bag and the books and followed, just when the black cars came to a stop right in front of her. The doors opened and the SHIELD Agents got out, pointing their guns at the two women. Arya readied her bow.

"Don't move!" one SHIELD Agent ordered, but it was in vain. The Bifröst hit the ground and sucked both women away before any Agent could do anything, leaving only dust and sand behind to hide their defeated faces.

-xxx-

Laughing excitedly, Jane and Arya entered the Bifröst.

"That was awesome!" Jane called out while making a small jump into the air.

"Indeed, it was!" Arya answered with smile while putting away her arrow.

Jane cleared her throat and put on a serious face again.

"I mean of course: that was really dangerous, irresponsible and deadly and…" she said, but the excitement was clearly visible. "I want to do it again!"

Arya laughed.

"You…" Jane continued while pointing at Arya. "You are such an incredible archer!"

Arya blushed slightly. "I must say you are a remarkable driver…"

"And with remarkable you mean dangerous?" Jane asked with a grin.

Arya bit her lip. "Maybe a little…"

Both women laughed hysterically.

"Jane!" a voice suddenly sounded. Outside, Thor landed on the bridge and ran in the Bifröst, looking more worried than ever. "Are you all right!"

Jane cleared her throat once more and tried to look at least a bit serious.

"I'm fine, I'm fine! Just a little race with SHIELD. That's all! I'm all right…"

Thor took Jane in his arms and hugged her so tightly that she could hear her rips crack. Arya stopped laughing and bowed her head in shame, suddenly remembering who Jane and Thor were…

"My apologies, my Prince, I tried hard to protect, my la…"

Arya was interrupted when she heard the trampling of hoofs getting closer. A second later they all say Loki descending his horse and walking in the Bifröst as if nothing had happened.

Arya bowed.
"My King… my apologies, I faile…"

But Loki cut her off by raising his hand.

"You did pretty well…" he said shortly to Arya's surprise.

"Why didn't you ask me to come with you?" Thor asked to Jane, who was trying to free herself from Thor's hug. She looked up at her husband.

"Loki said he wanted you here…" she answered. Thor looked up at his brother. Loki smiled.

"How dare you!" the God of Thunder shouted. "You didn't need me at all! Jane could be dead!"

Loki scowled because of Thor's bluntness, but he didn't say anything about it.

Arya frowned. "But why did you send me then?" she asked before she could stop herself. The young king looked up at her.

"… M.. My king…" she finished.

Loki smiled. "I actually wanted to see what you could do…" he simply answered. Arya didn't know what to feel. She was surprised, but also very proud. She had not failed her king!

Thor, on the other hand, didn't seem too pleased with Loki's reason.

"Jane could have died!" he repeated, walking over to his brother. Loki didn't move and looked Thor straight in the eyes.

"Except that she did not…" he said.

Thor turned red of anger.

Loki sighed.
"Thor, please… I am not stupid. I wouldn't have send them down if I didn't think Arya could defend herself and others. And honestly, I think Jane did quite a good job herself!"

"Oh yes!" Arya added. "Jane Foster saved my life too!"

Loki pulled up his eyebrows and faced his brother as if he wanted to say: "See…"

Thor groaned. Jane walked over to her husband and put her hand in his.

"Really, Thor… It was nothing… And honestly, I had a lot of fun! It was dangerous, completely crazy, but amazing!"

"Why wouldn't they be allowed to have a little fun…" Loki asked with a childish tone to his voice.

Thor sighed and shook his head. "You are unbelievable…"

Loki grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment…"

The two brothers looked at each other until also Thor showed a little smile.

"Arya, you're excused." Loki said while turning to Arya. "Your horse is waiting outside. Good job…"

The Asgardian women bowed and smiled. "Thank you, my King…" she said before walking outside.

Afterwards Loki walked over to Jane.

"You have my books?" he asked nonchalantly. Jane smiled and showed Loki the two books.

Loki's eyes grew big. "Those are some enormous books…" he said between his teeth before he smiled. "And my Coca Cola?"

"In the bag…" Jane said, gesturing to her backpack with her head. Loki smiled once more.

"Excellent!"

"You asked her to bring you stuff!" Thor asked in disbelief while walking over to his wife and looked inside the bags. "Harry Potter… seriously?"

Loki pulled up his shoulders.

"You are…" Thor started, not really sure he had to be angry or amused.

"Brilliant!" Loki finished his sentence. "I know…"

The young king turned his back on the couple and walked outside the Bifröst. He mounted his horse and looked down on Thor who helped Jane enter the boat that had just arrived.

"By the way, Thor… now I really need you to listen to Lord Argus's nagging while I'm pretending to… Don't be late!" he said with a smile, just before spurring on his horse and galloping down the bridge.

Please review!

Rumple x